Growing Inclusive Classrooms Across Our Miami Early Childhood Community
Posted on 12/19/2025 @ 10:23 AM
By Yehudis Smith, Director of
Early Childhood Education
This past month, the Robert Russell Early Childhood Department at CAJE was proud to host our annual 3-part virtual professional development series for early childhood educators across our Miami network - and the response was nothing short of extraordinary!
Each session welcomed a record-breaking 108 ECE educators, a powerful reflection of both the desire for meaningful learning in our field and the deep commitment our educators bring to their work every single day.
The series, The Inclusive ECE Classroom, was led by master early childhood educator and ECE consultant Marta Nemesh, whose depth of knowledge, warmth, and practical wisdom resonated throughout all three sessions.
Marta guided educators through the following topics:
- Understanding the Diversity of Needs in the ECE Classroom
- Sensory Considerations in the Early Childhood Classroom
- Supporting the Developing Nervous System: Movement, Mindfulness, and Inclusion
Marta’s leadership was grounded in the mission of Matan, a national organization dedicated to advancing access and inclusion so that children with diverse learning needs can thrive in Jewish educational settings.
Matan partners with schools and educators to build inclusive cultures, provide practical tools, and empower professionals to meet the needs of all learners with dignity and confidence.
This partnership directly responds to a pressing need we hear consistently across our community: educators want - and deserve - support, understanding, and concrete strategies for navigating challenging behaviors in ways that are compassionate, developmentally appropriate, and inclusive.
Teachers learned that there are additional sensory systems beyond the five commonly known senses (sight, taste, touch, smell, and hearing) such as the vestibular system (balance and movement) and proprioception (body awareness), which play a vital role in children’s learning and interaction with the world.
The feedback from educators was unanimously excellent, with participants sharing how affirmed, equipped, and inspired they felt after each session:
“Marta shared many key insights that support effective classroom management and assessment. Her guidance emphasized strategies that help create a safe, comfortable, and positive environment where children can feel happy and engaged.
We learned valuable approaches to better assess and manage the diverse needs of children in our classrooms.
We also explored practical methods for maintaining a calm classroom environment, including breathing techniques that help children recognize their emotions and develop self-regulation skills.
The workshop was both engaging and informative, with well-managed time and meaningful content throughout.
-Christell Cayasso, ECE Educator at Tauber Academy
(Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center)
At CAJE, we know that high-quality professional development matters.
Research consistently shows that one-off workshops rarely lead to lasting change in teacher practice. That understanding is precisely why we continue to offer a thoughtfully sequenced, three-part learning series - each session intentionally building upon the last.
This structure allows educators not only to learn new concepts, but to reflect, integrate, and grow over time within a supportive learning community.
Because of this year’s overwhelming success, we are excited to share that Yehudis Smith, CAJE’s Director of Early Childhood Education, will be launching new monthly teacher support sessions.
These sessions will invite educators to bring real-life case studies and classroom scenarios, creating space for collaborative problem-solving, reflection, and continued reinforcement of the concepts explored in The Inclusive ECE Classroom.
Just as importantly, these gatherings will cultivate an ongoing network of like-minded, passionate ECE educators who are committed to inclusive, responsive, and values-driven practice.
We are deeply grateful to our educators for showing up with openness, curiosity, and heart - and we look forward to continuing this important work together.
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